After a disastrous Pakistan Super League season seven under the leadership of Babar Azam, Karachi Kings made some major changes in their squad this year.

They have made headlines by trading Babar Azam for Shoaib Malik and Haider Ali from Peshawar Zalmi ahead of the PSL8 draft.

Some called it a brave move, while some called it a mistake to let go of the biggest superstar of Pakistan cricket at the moment, however, team management has stressed that they want to play aggressive cricket, hence, this move.

They have made some smart picks in the draft to provide the much-needed balance to the team. With Imad Wasim leading the pack again, with a fresh-looking squad, this team looks solid this year.

Let’s go through the complete squad along with its strengths and weaknesses:

Squad

Imad Wasim (captain), Shoaib Malik, Sharjeel Khan, Tayyab Tahir, Haider Ali, James Vince, Irfan Khan Niazi, Matthew Wade (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Akhlaq (wicketkeeper), Ben Cutting, Aamer Yamin, James Fuller, Qasim Akram, Mir Hamza, Andrew Tye, Mohammad Amir, Imran Tahir, Mohammad Umar, Tabraiz Shamsi, Musa Khan

Adam Rossington (wicketkeeper) (replacement for James Vince), Faisal Akram (replacement for Tabraiz Shamsi)

Strength

Karachi Kings’ major strength is their batting firepower this year. They have let go of Babar Azam, who is the highest run-scorer in PSL history, but his inability to fire from the top was one of the reasons for the Karachi Kings’ lackluster last season.

In his absence, James Vince would open the innings with Sharjeel Khan, who is looking fitter this year than last. These two batters have the ability to dominate the power play and set the stage for players like Haider Ali in the middle and Mathew Wade in the latter overs.

They have shown enough trust in Mathew Wade to pick him in the Platinum category, and rightfully so, considering his record as a finisher for the Australian team in the past two years.

Their seasoned players Mohammad Amir and Imad Wasim have been in good form in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) recently, which was also a major problem last year. These two have been the backbone of the Kings’ squad since the first season, and on their day, they have the ability to win the games single-handedly.

Karachi Kings are also bolstered with the experience of timeless Shoaib Malik, and Imran Tahir, along with Andrew Tye and Tabraiz Shamsi. These season campaigners bring a lot of experience and depth into the squad, with each one being special in their own area.

Much like experienced players, Karachi Kings also have the most exciting young players in the local circuit, like Qasim Akram, who showed his all-around abilities in the later games for Karachi Kings last year. Along with him, they have roped in Tayyab Tahir, who can provide stability and fireworks, as per requirement.

Weakness

There aren’t much weaknesses to talk about as Karachi Kings looks pretty much solid and balanced on paper. However, a major concern would be the form of their major players.

Sharjeel Khan and Haider both have the ability to take the game away from any opposition but they both have been pretty inconsistent. They are joined by Ben Cutting, who was once a major cog for Quetta Gladiators’ however, he hasn’t been in the same form since leaving Quetta.

Another concern is the partial availability of Tabraiz Shamsi and James Vince as their partial replacements are rookies.

Conclusion

With the right players in the right positions, the Karachi Kings appear to be a dangerous team this season, unlike last.

They have a good combination of talented youngsters with experienced players, who have proven themselves across the globe.

They are arguably the best all-round side in the PSL 8, having all the tools to outperform any team, but will they be able to leave the demons of PSL 7 behind and reign supreme in PSL 8, time will tell.

Probable Lineup

Sharjeel Khan, James Vince, Haider Ali, Shoaib Malik, Mathew Wade (wicketkeeper), Imad Wasim (c), Qasim Akram, Mohammad Amir, Andrew Tye, Mir Hamza, Imran Tahir

Fixtures

Feb 14 — Karachi Kings v Peshawar Zalmi, National Bank Cricket Arena

Feb 16 — Karachi Kings v Islamabad United, National Bank Cricket Arena

Feb 18 — Karachi Kings v Quetta Gladiators, National Bank Cricket Arena

Feb 19 — Karachi Kings v Lahore Qalandars, National Bank Cricket Arena

Feb 22 - Multan Sultans v Karachi Kings, Multan Cricket Stadium

Feb 26 — Karachi Kings v Multan Sultans, National Bank Cricket Arena

Mar 1 — Peshawar Zalmi v Karachi Kings, Pindi Cricket Stadium

Mar 3 — Islamabad United v Karachi Kings, Pindi Cricket Stadium

Mar 6 — Quetta Gladiators v Karachi Kings, Pindi Cricket Stadium

Mar 12 — Lahore Qalandars v Karachi Kings, Gaddafi Stadium